Then You Happened

by Sandi Lynn

  “Eeek!” Jolene squealed when she opened the door and hugged me. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

  “It’s good to see you, Jolene. Is Cameron here?” I asked nervously.

  “No, he’s not. He just left. He took the boat out on the lake to do some fishing. If you go out back, you still might be able to catch him before he gets too far out.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled.

  I headed to the kitchen and out the door to the back. I walked down the dock and saw Cameron in the middle of the lake. The boat was stopped. This was it. Time to put my big girl panties on and go for it. I. CAN. DO. THIS.

  “Hey, I can think of some better things to do in that boat besides fishing,” I yelled to him across the lake.

  He turned around and stared at me. He just stood there, not saying a word. Oh no, maybe he’s pissed I’m here. Shit.

  “What are you doing here?” he finally yelled back.

  “I missed you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes! Really!” I smiled.

  I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but I couldn’t wait any longer to feel his arms wrapped around me. I took off my shoes and threw them on the dock. I jumped in the lake and swam towards the boat. Good thing I was not wearing designer.

  “Sierra, what are you doing?”

  I reached the boat, completely out of breath. Shit. I really needed to exercise. He reached over the boat with a wide grin and grabbed my arm, pulling me up onto it and wrapping his strong arms around me.

  “You’re crazy. I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “I had to,” I said as I looked in his beautiful green eyes and smiled. “I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you that I love you. I love you, Cameron Cole. I’m so in love with you and I was miserable without you.”

  “Really?” He smiled.

  “Yes. Do you think I’d jump in a dirty lake just to say hi?”

  “I love you too, baby,” he said as his mouth smashed into mine. He broke our kiss and ran his hands down my soaking wet hair. “You’re soaked and you’re shaking.”

  “I’m fine as long as I’m with you.”

  “What’s going on out there?” Jolene yelled.

  Cameron looked at her and yelled to go and get some help. Apparently, the motor stopped working and that was why he only made it so far out.

  “Does this mean you’ll be my girlfriend, since you swam in a dirty lake to get to me?” He smiled.

  “Are you asking me?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Then, yes. I would love to be your girlfriend. Do you think I did all this for nothing?”

  He chuckled. “You’re amazing, Sierra, and I love you so much.”

  “I love you more, Cam. We need to hurry up and get off this boat. I’m horny.”

  “Are you willing to swim one last time?”

  “For real?”

  “It’s either that or we’ll be on this boat a while until help comes.”

  “Let’s go, then,” I said as I jumped back in the lake.

  Cameron followed and we swam back to the dock. Jolene was standing there and handed us some towels.

  “I’m confused as to what’s going on here,” she said.

  “We’ll explain it to you later. Tell Mom and Dad that Sierra’s in town and we’ll be back tomorrow. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  Cameron took my hand and led me into the house and up to his room. He changed out of his wet clothes and had Jolene bring me one of her sundresses. He threw a few things in a bag and we headed outside. I threw him the keys to the rental car. He looked at the Escalade and shook his head.

  “Of course you rented this.” He laughed.

  “I tried to rent a Porsche, but the girl looked at me like I was crazy.”

  The minute we climbed into the vehicle, he reached over and kissed me passionately. “I’m so happy you’re here.” He smiled.

  “Me too. I’m just sorry it took me so long.”

  “I would’ve waited for you forever if I had to, Sierra.”

  A tear formed in my eye. “I wouldn’t have made you wait forever. Now, where are we going?”

  “You pick.”

  I pulled out my phone and pulled up google. I had only one bar of service and I was going to make this work.

  “It looks like the only decent hotel around is the Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham.”

  “I know exactly where it’s at and it’s only a few miles from here.”

  “I just don’t understand why there aren’t any Hiltons or Trump Hotels here.”

  He laughed as he picked up my hand and brought it to his lips. “I sure did miss you.”

  Chapter 37

  Cameron

  I lay there with Sierra wrapped in my arms, cuddled up against me as tight as she could be. The sheets were torn off the bed and the phone and lamp were knocked over on the floor. We had amazing sex. Not once, not twice, but three times in the couple of hours we were in the hotel room. My fingers caressed her bare skin and I was the happiest man in the world. Sierra Adams told me that she loved me. Hearing those words come from her were nothing but sweet music to my ears. I was so in love with her and I was never going to let her go. She lifted her head and gave me a soft kiss on my lips.

  “You taste good.” She smiled.

  “You taste better.”

  “I want you to know that I went to Danny’s Tacos and had a burrito.”

  “You did?”

  “Yep. I missed you so much that going there helped me feel closer to you, if that makes any sense.”

  “It does, babe. It makes perfect sense. By the way, how did your meeting go with that ballroom dance company?”

  “It didn’t go well. She wasn’t impressed. Right before I left to come here, I went to her hotel room and said a few things to her.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle because I could just see her doing that. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

  “It’s fine. It’s her loss, not mine. And, by the way, you have our living room to remodel.”

  “Ours?” I asked.

  She lifted herself up and looked at me. “Yes, ours. That’s if you’ll move to L.A. and move in with me.”

  “Back in the guest house?” I smiled.

  “No! The main house.”

  “That means you’ll have to share your closet.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and made the cutest face. “Oh. That’s something we’ll have to discuss later. My closet is my—”

  I put my finger over her lips. “Shh, babe. I know and I’ll do whatever you want.”

  “We have another problem,” she said.

  “What problems could we possibly have?”

  “Did you forget that your parents think I’m a Starbucks lesbian barista and my mom thinks you’re an escort I hired for sex?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I guess we’ll have to tell them the truth because I’m not going to have a lesbian girlfriend.”

  “Boom! Another shock for Delia!” She smiled.

  “My brother’s wedding is this weekend. Are you going to be okay staying here a few more days?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Because of the cell phone service issue.”

  “Fuck work. I’m on vacation. Kirsty can handle things. I’m not worried.”

  I smiled as I placed my hand around the nape of her neck and brought her lips to mine, starting round four.

  ****

  Sierra

  Cameron was still in the shower and I was looking through my suitcase for an outfit. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and, when I realized what the white furry thing was, I screamed at the top of my lungs and jumped on the bed. Cameron came running from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

  “What’s wrong?!”

  “THERE’S A MOUSE IN HERE!”

  “Where?”

  “I think it went under the bed. OH MY GOD, do something! There it is!” I sc
reamed again as it scurried out from under the bed and went under the desk. He grabbed a glass from the nightstand and put it over the furry little creature.

  “There. I’ll call the desk and have someone come get him.”

  “We’re leaving right now. I am not getting off this bed until that door is open and we leave.”

  “Sierra, he’s trapped. It’s okay.”

  “No. It’s not okay. Hurry up and get dressed. Hurry!”

  I knelt down on the bed, grabbed my shorts and top, and zipped up my suitcase. Cameron went back in the bathroom, collected our things, threw them in his bag, and quickly got dressed. He grabbed my suitcase and opened the door.

  “Come on, babe.”

  “Hell, no. I am not stepping one foot on that floor. You come and carry me out that door.”

  Cameron laughed. “Are you serious? He’s trapped.”

  “I don’t care. Carry me!” I snapped.

  He walked over to the bed and held out his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me out of the room. Before he put me down, he brushed his lips against mine.

  “You’re crazy, but I still love you.” He smiled.

  “You better. Now we need to find a better hotel, even if we have to travel far.”

  “We can stay at my house. You’ll sleep in my bed and my parents will have to deal with it.”

  “No. We won’t be able to have crazy wild sex and, believe me, I’m nowhere finished with you.”

  “Right. Start googling,” he said as he put me down.

  I climbed into the car, trying to calm down from my near heart attack and pulled up a non-list of luxury hotels. What the hell is wrong with this place? I ran across an ad for a Smoky Mountain Mansion that was only five miles away from Cameron’s house. Now, we’re talking! I dialed the number as Cameron climbed into the SUV.

  “Hello, I would like to rent your place for the next few days…I see… No, I want the house to myself.”

  Cameron looked over at me. Poor guy was so confused.

  “Well, I’m sorry, but a single room isn’t an option. I will pay you triple of what you’re asking for the rest of the week if my boyfriend and I can have the whole house to ourselves, plus a nonrefundable deposit. How does that sound?”

  I smiled when the man on the other end of the phone agreed to my terms. “I knew you’d see things my way. We’ll be by shortly. Can you please send me the address?”

  “What was all that about?” Cameron asked.

  “I rented us a small house. Here’s the address. It’s only five miles from your parents’ house. We’ll have the whole place to ourselves and complete privacy.”

  “I know these small houses around here, Sierra, and I’m not so sure you’ll be happy.”

  I smiled as I looked over and pinched his cheek. “I’ll be happy, honey.”

  The GPS told Cameron to make a left turn into the driveway. “This can’t be right. This damn GPS took us to the wrong place.”

  I took in a deep breath. “No, this is the right place,” I said.

  “Sierra, this is a mansion. You said you rented a small house.”

  We got out of the SUV and I stood in front of the large house and smiled. “Isn’t it perfect?”

  “Leave it up to you to find something like this in this small-ass town,” he said as he shook his head.

  The man I spoke with on the phone, known as Blake, walked out and met us in the driveway. He led us into the house and into the kitchen, where I had to sign a rental agreement.

  “Would you like me to show you around?” Blake asked.

  “No, thank you. We can show ourselves around.” I smiled.

  He handed me the keys and left.

  “I can’t believe you did this. Wait; actually, I can believe it,” he said as he followed me around.

  “Look at this amazing house, Cam. This is way better than any hotel.” There were open stairs to a lower level. I walked down them and gasped.

  “Look, we have a pool table.” I smiled as I climbed on top of it.

  “Okay, you’ve convinced me.” Cameron smiled as he held my face in his hands.

  Chapter 38

  Cameron

  After having a make-out session, I helped Sierra off the pool table, which was going to be utilized by us later tonight, and went back upstairs. We reached the third floor and looked in all of the six bedrooms.

  “Well, which one are we sleeping in?” I asked.

  “Does it really matter? We’re going to be fucking in all of them.”

  “I love the way you think.” I winked.

  My phone started ringing and when I pulled it out of my pocket, it was my mom calling.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “We heard Sierra was in town and want her to come over for dinner. It’ll be ready in an hour, so make sure you both are here.”

  “We’ll be there, Mom. I know she’s really excited to see you.”

  I hung up and wrapped my arms around Sierra’s waist. “We’re going to dinner at my parents’ house and we’re going to tell my family the truth about you.”

  “Then we better stop on the way and grab a bottle of tequila or two.”

  “Done. You know I’ll always take care of you,” I said as I brushed my lips against hers.

  We stopped at the liquor store and bought a couple of bottles of wine and tequila. We pulled up to the house and I grabbed Sierra’s hand as she took in a deep breath.

  “See what happens when we lie?” she said.

  “You started it.”

  She laughed and we walked into the house. Immediately, my mom ran from the kitchen and gave Sierra a welcome hug.

  “We are so excited to see you again, Sierra.”

  “How’s the barista business doing?” my dad asked her.

  “Both of you come in the kitchen and I’ll pour you some iced tea,” Luanne said.

  “What’s in the bag, son?” my dad asked as I set it on the counter.

  “Oh, just a couple bottles of wine and tequila for later.”

  ****

  Sierra

  I felt like I was in the kitchen of Paula Deen. I can say that because I was a few years back when Adams Advertising was a sponsor for her TV show. She invited my father and me to come and watch her cook a meal for her show.

  “It smells amazing in here, Luanne.”

  “Thank you, sweetie. There’s nothing like a southern home-cooked meal. I called everyone in the family and they should all be here any minute. Now, you and Cameron go sit down.”

  I looked at Cameron as he held up the bottle of tequila and smiled. I smiled back as I held up two fingers, signaling to make it a double. The rest of the Cole Clan breezed through the door and hugged me one by one. Mark pulled me over to the side and kissed me on the cheek.

  “Thank you, Sierra. You have made my brother very happy.”

  “He’s made me very happy.” I smiled.

  “What’s going on over here? Are you trying to steal my girlfriend?” Cameron whispered to his brother.

  “Nah. I tried that the last time she was here. She wasn’t falling for it.” He winked at me.

  We all took our places at the table and Cameron set down the glass of tequila in front of me. I so desperately wanted to give him a thank-you kiss, but the cat wasn’t out of the bag yet.

  Luanne and Kelly set the food down on the table. “Here we go everybody. We have southern fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, corn bread, mashed potatoes and gravy, and some sweet creamed corn.”

  To me, it all looked like a heart attack waiting to happen. A bonafide artery clogging meal. Everyone passed the food around one by one. I took very little of everything so I didn’t appear rude.

  “You owe me food later,” I whispered in Cameron’s ear.

  “And you owe me a pool table.” He smiled. “Well, since the family is all here, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  Oh boy, here we go. I picked up the glass of tequila and threw it back.r />
  “Sierra and I are now officially dating and I’m going to be moving in with her.”

  The table fell silent and all eyes turned to me.

  “But she’s a lesbian,” Luanne blurted out.

  I wanted to crawl under the table and hide.

  “No, Mom. She’s not. We just made all that up on the spot. You know, like a joke.”

  “So then she’s not a lesbian barista. She’s just a barista?” Jerry said.

  “No, Dad. She’s neither. She’s not a lesbian or a barista.”

  I placed my hand on Cameron’s arm and told him to let me as I stood up.

  “Cole family,” I spoke. “I’m sorry if Cam and I lied to you. It was solely meant for a joke and, to be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever really see any of you again. My name is Sierra Adams and I’m the CEO of Adams Advertising and Design. I run one of the top ten advertising firms in the country. I have a home in Hollywood Hills and I’m madly in love with Cameron. And if it makes you feel any better, my mother thinks he’s an escort I hired for companionship.”

  I took another drink of my tequila and sat down.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Jerry said. “Look at that, Lu. We have a celebrity right in our very home.”

  “So you’re not a lesbian?” Jolene asked.

  “No, sweetie. But I totally support them.” I smiled.

  The rest of the family was cool about it, but Luanne didn’t seem happy.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” Cameron asked.

  “Nothing. Now that we know the truth and that you’re moving away, it’s all good.” She started to cry as she got up and left the table.

  “Aw, damn,” Jerry said. “Let me go see if I can talk some sense into her.”

  Cameron looked over at me with a sad look on his face.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, babe. I’ll talk to her later.”

  A few moments later, Luanne came back and sat down at the table. She wouldn’t look at me and I felt horrible. Needless to say, dinner was a silent one. After we ate, and I finished off another double of tequila, I helped clean up the table and the kitchen, and went down by the lake with Cameron.

  “I think we hurt your mom’s feelings,” I said as I ran my hand up and down his back.

  “Nah. I think she’s upset because I’m moving to California.”